Los Roblesopoly
by Risknight
Summary: It's been six years since Penny met her guys. She decides to celebrate.


**I don't own The Big Bang Theory. I do, however, sing along with the theme song. **

* * *

"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!"

Everyone looked up in surprise as Penny burst through the door with a large box. She set it on the floor by the door and bounced around the room. She put a kiss on Leonard's cheek, squeezed by Bernadette to hug Howard, pulled Raj up for a hug and then practically climbed over Amy to reach Sheldon, who she hugged, despite his twitching, and then bussed on the cheek for good measure.

"Penny, have you suffered a blow to the head," Sheldon groused. "Or are you drunk?"

Penny stuck her tongue out at him and grabbed his hand. She pulled him over to his desk and then went for Raj and Howard. Soon she had all four men lined up. Penny clasped her hands in front of her and smiled.

"Who can tell me what happened on this date six years ago, that makes today so special?" she asked slyly.

Three men looked at each other in confusion. Sheldon put his hands behind his back and blushed slightly. "You moved into our building."

Penny gave a little jump and clapped. "Give that man a prize," she exclaimed. "Okay, everyone hold out your hand and close your eyes!"

They looked at her suspiciously and she rolled her eyes. "Did I stutter?"

Immediately four hands shot out and eight eyes shut tight. Penny reached into the box and pulled out four small wooden boxes, about the size of a rubik's cube. She double checked the names engraved on the tops and placed them in the guy's hands.

"Okay, open your eyes." Penny wiggled excitedly. "Now, open the boxes."

Raj went first, being the most curious. He pulled a miniscule pewter figurine of a spiral galaxy out. Howard quickly opened his. Inside was another figurine, only of the Mars rover. Leonard found a model of a proton chain. Sheldon slowly opened his to find a miniature hadron collider. They looked at the figurines and then at her.

"Penny, what are these?" Leonard asked.

She reached into the box and pulled out two pieces of polished cherry wood. Along one side were two hinges. She unfolded it and set it on the coffee table for everyone to see. Across the center diagonally it said Los Roblesopoly in calligraphy. Instead of the normal monopoly squares, there were specialized spaces such as The Cheesecake Factory, Cal-Tech, Stuart's comic shop and Carney's. Other squares held names like Higgs-Boson Blvd, Astronomy Avenue, and Physics Park. Each railroad bore the name of one of them. Instead of a jail, there was a lab. Instead of Chance or Community Chest, there was Theories and Experiments.

Penny next pulled a replica antique cash register out of the box. She pushed the no sale lever and displayed the money inside. A caricature of Leonard was on the ones, Howard on the fives, Raj on the tens and Sheldon on the twenties. The fifties bore the equation E=MC2 and the hundreds had an atom. On the five-hundreds was a silhouette of four men. Penny handed a baggie containing the three sets of cards to Howard. Last but not least she handed Leonard two small bags. One contained little pewter Tesla coils and the other had small pewter computer boards.

Penny stepped back and looked at the guys happily. "I had a friend make the board for me from a sketch I did. The figurines were done by this guy who owns a collectibles shop in Glendale. I had to get the cards and money printed up at a specialty store and I found the cash register online. I tried to tailor it to each of you equally. So, once again, Happy Anniversary!"

Howard looked at Penny in awe. "You did this for us?"

Leonard smiled broadly. "This is wonderful, Penny!"

Raj burst into tears and hugged her tight.

Sheldon was frowning. Penny slumped a bit. "You don't like it," she said softly.

Sheldon looked at her with confusion. "Where is yours?"

Penny frowned. "What do you mean?"

Sheldon indicated his game piece. "Where is yours?"

Penny shook her head. "I don't have one. This is for the group, for you guys." Penny bit her lip. "Don't you like it, Sheldon? I thought it would be cool, a nice surprise for you guys."

Sheldon set his piece on his desk and walked down the hall to his room. Penny seemed to shrink a little bit. After an awkward moment she quickly hugged the guys and gave the women a small wave. Then she slipped out the door.

When Sheldon reappeared a few minutes later they all glared at him. He looked around the room with a frown. "Where is Penny?"

"She left, you …you big jerk!" Bernadette cried.

Sheldon looked startled. "But why?"

"Maybe because you were an ungrateful ass," Leonard said harshly.

"Sheldon, what's that in your hand?" Howard asked.

Sheldon timidly held out the small object. Everyone looked at the tiny gold fairy piece with surprise. "Penny needs a game piece," he said simply. "This is hers."

"Sheldon, Penny left because she thought you didn't like the gift," Amy said. "Why didn't you say you were going to get her a figurine?"

Sheldon stood there, clutching the little fairy. "I …I just wanted her to have a piece, too." He looked so forlorn no one had the heart to chastise him.

* * *

An hour passed before Penny dragged herself home. She had driven over to Stuart's shop. She had tried to find something to get for Sheldon to make up for the game that he didn't like. Nothing seemed suitable. Maybe she'd make him some spaghetti with little cut up hot dogs in it on her next day off.

Penny sighed heavily. She had put a lot of effort and thought into that gift. Maybe she really was just a blonde monkey. When she reached the fourth floor she glanced at 4A briefly. She turned to her apartment and slipped inside. She locked the door and turned around. Sheldon was sitting on her couch watching her.

"Sh…Sheldon?" she stammered. "What are you doing here?"

He stood and faced her. "Why did you leave?"

Penny bit her lip and looked down.

Sheldon moved a step closer. "I asked you a question. Please answer me," he said with a bit of sternness.

Penny sighed and set her keys on the bookshelf. "I'm sorry you didn't like the game, Sheldon. You don't have to keep it."

Sheldon frowned. "But I do like it. I like it very much."

Penny looked at him in surprise. "You do? But you went to your room. You didn't say anything."

Sheldon reached into his pocket and held out the fairy to Penny. She took it and stared at the tiny figure. Delicately she traced one wing with her index finger.

"What's this?" she asked.

He moved even closer. "It's your piece," he said gently. "You said the game was for the group. You are part of the group. So, you need a piece. She's a golden fairy queen. Like you are."

Penny looked up at him, eye wide with astonishment. "For me? Really?"

Sheldon nodded silently, watching her expression closely. Tears gathered in Penny's eyes as she looked back at the little fairy.

"Thank you, Sheldon," she whispered huskily. "She's beautiful."

Sheldon ducked his head and nodded. "Thank you, Penny, for the anniversary gift. I hope you will come play with us. Everyone is waiting across the hall."

Penny smiled and threw her arms around him tight. After a second's hesitation, Sheldon hugged her back. They stood there for several minutes. Then they eased apart, both of them were a bit flushed and confused. Sheldon felt something alter. A miniscule change in their relationship. Penny was flustered by the awareness she now felt. After a moment, they both pushed aside this new and confusing perception. Sheldon cleared his throat and lead the way across the hall. Penny followed quietly. Neither was brave enough to look too closely at what had just happened. Not yet, anyway.


End file.
